Kalgoorlie is a mining town and it has a lot to offer the adventurous traveller. Pubs are spread throughout the city with some providing 'skimpy' barmaids in lingerie attire. Prostitution is tolerated in one street in the city and is actually a tourist attraction where you can visit a brothel and walk down the street, Hay Street, and chat with the working ladies. The largest open cut gold mine in Australia is located nearby in Boulder which provides a lookout over the pit. There are mining museums, a mining hall of fame and mining conferences and exhibitions throughout the year. The city can be used as a base to visit other towns in the region that have just as rich a history as Kalgoorlie does. Over a hundred years of mining wealth has produced some beautiful old buildings that house pubs, post offices and general shops. It's on the main rail line from the east to the west of Australia and it's only a short diversion from the main road highway connecting the east and west.

Contents

Get in

By plane

Qantas operates several direct flights between Perth and Kalgoorlie every day. Qantas flights to Kalgoorlie depart from Terminal 1 at Perth Domestic Airport, and arrive at Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport, which is well serviced by taxis. Flying time can be 50-70 minutes in duration, and return flights range from $160-$500. Qantas employs Boeing 737 & 717 aircraft on the Perth-Kalgoorlie route. Depending on the aircraft, it is possible to fly Business Class between Perth and Kalgoorlie.
For more information visit Qantas [5]

Skywest is a state airline operating fewer flights than Qantas. Skywest flights depart from Terminal 2 at Perth Domestic Airport, and arrive at Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport. Skywest has a fleet of Fokker 50 & 100 aircraft, which are smaller and slower than Qantas' aircraft. Flying time can be 60-90 minutes in duration, with return flights ranging from $150-$325. Skywest only operates Economy Class on its aircraft.
For more information visit Skywest [6]

By rail

The Prospector is the train service operating between Perth and Kalgoorlie. In 2004, the new Prospector was introduced, which has cut the once notoriously long and oft delayed journey from 8-10 hours to approximately 7 hours. In Perth, passengers may board or alight the Prospector at the East Perth Rail Terminal or Midland Train Station. In Kalgoorlie, the Prospector departs and alights at Kalgoorlie Train Station. A standard adult fare is approximately $85, but discounts for children, students and seniors are available. The Prospector has nine services between Perth and Kalgoorlie each week.
For more information visit Transwa [7]

Another rail alternative is the Indian Pacific, which operates between Perth and Sydney via Adelaide, with a scheduled three-hour stop in Kalgoorlie.
For more information visit GSR [8]

By road

It is also possible to drive a private or hired vehicle to Kalgoorlie. Great Eastern Highway runs between Perth and Kalgoorlie. The highway is well serviced with small towns and roadhouses, with the approximate halfway point at Merredin. The drive is well signposted and takes approximately six hours. Kalgoorlie is also a major stop for those driving across the Nullabor, and is approximately two hours north of Norseman, the gateway to the Nullabor Plain.

Get around

Rental cars

As it is a current mining centre all the rental car companies are represented and have a large number of cars - except they can be all booked up and don't expect too many sports cars or small compacts ; large sedans and utes are the norm. Cars can be hired either at the airport or in town.

Taxi

There are plenty of taxis in town to get you to any of the tourist spots that are outside the CBD. If you're only visiting Kalgoorlie for a short time most of the attractions in Kalgoorlie are within walking distance of the city centre. A taxi would be useful to go to the lookout at the Superpit.

Walk

Stay at one of the motels near the city centre (there are plenty) and walk to the different tourist attractions.

Bus

Goldenlines run a town bus service using ex transperth buses. These buses run around to the extremities of the town as well as to Coolgardie and Kambalda.

See

Herbert Hoover Mirror, (In the Palace Hotel foyer.). An ornately framed mirror given to the hotel in 1898 by Herbert Hoover, later to become the US president. While working as a mine manager in nearby Leonora he frequented the hotel when in Kalgoorlie. He was said to be so smitten with a particular barmaid that on returning to the US he sent the mirror as a token of his affections.

Kalgoorlie Museum, 17 Hannan St, ☎08 9021 8533. 10AM-4:30PM. The towering framehead that marks the buildings entrance gives a hint that this is no ordinary museum. Gold nuggets and other glittering items are displayed in an underground vault and the second floor is taken up with Indigenous cultural objects, historical artifacts from the early mining days and a collection of crumbling trade union banners in the adjoining British Arms Hotel. A viewing platform on the headframe gives you a good look over the town and yonder.Gold coin donation.

Paddy Hannan statue, corner Wilson and Hannan St. A replica of the statue of the great man who found a nugget that founded a town. Sit on his knee and have a drink from the water fountain protruding from his water bag like every other visitor has.

Pharmacy Museum, Burt St. Attached to a real pharmacy, it has a rambling collection of pill bottles, medicinal devices and quaint advertisements for all kinds of potions, perfumes and quackery.

The Super-pit, (Off Goldfields Hwy). Watch trucks lumber in and out of the 3km long hole where most of the towns wealth is extracted. Information boards and a collection of antiquated mining equipment provide a background on the history and processes of the mine.

Do

Buy

Kalgoorlie-Boulder does not offer a great deal of shopping opportunities. The town has the central business area in and around Hannan Street, which has a number of retail outlets such as Jeans West, K-Mart and Target. Kalgoorlie has several supermarkets, including Woolworths, Coles, Hannans Foodmart (24hr) & IGA.

Kalgoorlie is famous for its gold, and so gold jewellery, nuggets or coins make excellent souvenirs. There are a number of jewellery stores on Hannans Street, and gold souvenirs are also available from the Museum.

Eat

There are quite a few good restaurants in Kalgoorlie that are frequented by the mining executives that fly in from Perth. Most are attached to motels but there are some fine 'stand alone' ones also.

Blue Monkey, 418 Hannan St, ☎(08) 9091 3833. A restaurant with an Australian menu (ie native mammals on the menu) that is only a short walk from the city centre.

Danny's Bar & Grill, 14 Wilson St, ☎(08) 9022 7614. Owned by Danny Drummond, know to be one of the best chefs in town.

Montys Restaurant. 24 hours. In a 100 year old Mongomerys textile warehouse, the restaurant has an assortment of tables, booths and couches under the high roof. The food is typical cafe style but tehy have possibly the best coffee in town.

Tessa's Read and Feed, 24 Burt St, ☎(08) 9093 3005. A unique Cafe/Bookshop with excellent deserts and hot sandwiches. Perfect for a leisurely lunch, and the owners don't mind if you loiter a few hours amongst the books with a pot of tea. Only open until 4pm.

Drink

There are around 25 operating pubs in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. The Palace and Paddy's are right in the middle of Kalgoorlie on opposite corners. The Eastern Hotel sits atop the city at 1 Hannan Street, and affords great views of the street at dusk, especially from the top verandah. They would be the most popular pubs in town but there are many others within walking distance where you can have a 'middy' with the locals.

Eastern Hotel, 1 Hannan St, ☎(08) 9021 2426 (tim@easternhotel.com.au). 10AM - midnight 7 days. Recently renovated this pub features a cosmopolitan beer garden with accoustic sessions on weekends, a workers bar with skimpys most days at the front of the property, and a PUB TAB betting agency. The popular Perth restaurant The Coolgardie Safe, is opening an outlet in this hotel in February 2008.

Paddy's Ale House Irish Pub, 135 Hannan St, ☎(08) 9021 2833. An Irish themed pub that also has some good food. Traditional place for after work drinks. The front bar of the Exchange Hotel (where Paddys is located) has skimpys most hours of the day.

Sleep

There are many motels, one hotel, two backpackers and nine caravan parks. If you're planning to stay at a motel it may pay to book ahead as they can be busy in the current mining boom that's hit most of the worlds mining centres.